1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device or system for image-pickup and communication. In particular the present invention relates to a device or system for radio transmission of an image obtained by the image pick-up function of the device or system.
2. Related Background Art
Prior to the present invention, radio transmission of a picture or image from a digital camera or the like to a second device, such as a remote server, using a communication device, such as portable phone or PHS (Personal Handyphone System), required the connection of devices, as illustrated in FIG. 12.
As shown in FIG. 12, for example, a digital camera 501 is connected to a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as “PC”) 502, such as a notebook computer, using a cable 504 (or a PC card), and the PC 502 is connected to a portable phone 503 using a cable 508. Then, the pickup image obtained with the digital camera 501 is transferred to the portable phone 503 through the PC 502. As shown in FIG. 13, the pickup image is then transmitted by the portable phone 503 via a general public network 506 to a remote server 507.
Although such a method was advantageous in that a digital camera and portable phone could be utilized without any substantial modification, the combination of devices is so complicated that it interferes with at least one of the portability and manipulativity of the digital camera.
To solve the problems associated with the prior art method, a composite device (or multifunctional device) 510, as shown in FIG. 14, has been proposed. The proposed composite device 510 has the image-pickup capability of a digital camera or the like and the communication capability of a portable phone, a PHS or the like.
As shown in FIG. 14, the composite device 510 comprises a lens 511 for focusing light rays onto an image pickup element, such as a CCD, a shutter button (shutter) 512, a switch group 513, comprising a plurality of switches, a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 514 for displaying the pickup image obtained by the image pickup element and an antenna 515.
The process for photographing a subject, and transmitting the pickup image to a server by telephone may be executed according to the flow charts provided in FIGS. 15 and 16.
First, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the composite device 510 is set to the photographing mode by setting the required switch in the switch group 513, and the photographing operation is initiated by depressing the shutter 512 at the desired time in step S521.
As a result, an interruption occurs in the composite device 510 in step S522, and the pickup image signal of the subject obtained with a pickup element is stored in an image buffer memory in step S523.
After various corrections of brightness, white balance or the like, the format of the pickup image signal stored in the image buffer memory is converted to the JPEG format or the like in step S524.
The converted pickup image data is then stored in memory in step S525.
Next, as illustrated in See FIG. 16 for image pickup data that are transmitted from the composite device 510 to a remote server, a user sets the composite device 510 to the transmit mode by manipulating the required switch in the switch group 513 in step S531.
In the alternative, instead of manipulating the required switch in the switch group 513, a mode-switching operation may be performed on the menu screen of the color LCD 514, or step S531 may be executed after step S534 discussed below.
In the transmit mode, the composite device 510 reads the pickup image data stored in the store memory in step S532, and the readout pickup image data are displayed on the color LCD 514 in step S533.
By manipulating the desired switch in the switch group 513, a user selects an image to be transmitted from the pickup image data screen-displayed on the color LCD 514 in step S534. Any or all of the images stored in the store memory may be selected for transmission.
By manipulating the required switch in the switch group 513, a user selects the partner server to which the image selected in step S534 is to be transmitted in step S535. The server to which the pickup image is to be transmitted may be selected from the phone book data stored in the composite device 510, or the phone number of the server may be input directly using the switch group 513 or the like.
The composite device 510 confirms the image to be transmitted and the transmission destination when the user performs steps S534 and S535 in step S536. As a result, upon receipt of an “OK” from the user by means of a switch in the switch group 513 or the like, the transmission of the image is executed.
However, if the user provides the instruction “NO”, the composite device 510 returns to step S534 for the determination of an image to be transmitted.
Depending on the type of composite device 510 (for example, if the communication function of the device is PHS, a transmission control procedure like “PIAFS: PHS Internet Access Forum Standard”), a call is placed with the public network in step S537. In response, an OK or NG signal is sent back from the call destination server.
If reception of the call is confirmed by an OK signal from the server in step S538, an inter-device connection between the composite device 510 and the server is established after a mutual negotiation processing in step S539.
When the negotiation between the composite device 510 and the server is completed, and the communication according to a protocol such as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) becomes possible, transmission of the image selected at step S534 to the server is executed by the composite device 510 in step S540. Error processing, retransmit processing, or the like is performed at this time according to the procedure or protocol, depending on the type of a composite device 510, at step S537, until all of the selected images are transmitted, or the communication with the server ends in step S541 upon receipt of a receive end signal from the server in step S542.
On the other hand, if connection with the server is not possible in step S538, such as, as a result of the server being busy or the like, in step S543, the composite device 510 displays a message on the screen display to this effect in step S544.
In this case, to transmit the image, a user must again attempt to connect with the remote server after a period of time.
In addition, a composite device 510 of the type proposed, and as shown in FIG. 14, can provide an instant response to the transmission of an image, if requested, in addition to providing portability and manipulativity, making the transmission of a photographic image as simple and easy as possible.
With the proposed composite device 510, however, a user is required to perform at least three switching operations in step S531 (changing mode), step S534 (selecting manipulation the image for transmission), and step S535 (selecting a transmission destination) to transmit the pickup image obtained in the photographing mode to the server as shown in FIG. 16.
There is no problem with this procedure when an instantaneous response is not required, such as in the case of the later transmission of a collection of accumulated photograph images, but becomes very troublesome, for example, in the case where it is desired to transmit only one image to a server, or in similar cases.
In addition, in a case where it is desired to transmit successive photographed images to a server during the continuous photography of images, rather than a single image only, the photography must be interrupted for each transmission, and, thus, the possibility of missing a a photograph during this interruption exists.